November 27, 2006

I Even Licked the Plate

I just devoured the last of the leftover cornbread dressing and cranberry sauce. Only some turkey and creamy gravy remains. But alas, even such grand taste sensations as those pale without dressing and cranberry sauce in company.

Until next year, oh savory sweet goodness.Worry not that I shall stray.Nothing could ever take your place.

Liz here from I Speak of Dreams. I'm jealous. For the first time in decades, I didn't participate in the cooking. There were two stuffings: one with oysters, made with fresh bread; the other allegedly cornbread but it was more like cornmeal.

I've perfected the "cooking enough stuffing for everybody method". I make plain, sausage+waterchestnuts, and cornbread (plus of course the plain that goes in the bird).

You need a meat counter that sells skinless breasts, and a friendly butcher. You get the turkey skin that otherwise might be discarded, one per extra-turkey stuffing to be prepared.

You make up a sort of bombe mould out of aluminium foil, put the extra-turkey dressing in, and cover it with the turkey skin, and fold the foil around. (Oh, I forgot -- You add a little extra moisture, water broth or milk, your choice). Bake for about an hour at 350. Viola!

This also is the basis of our Xmas morning breakfast, using eggs and milk in place of the liquid otherwise called for. A sort of robust, savory bread pudding.